PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A SPECIAL MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018
The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in Special Session at the Concordia Parish School Board office in Vidalia, Louisiana, on Thursday, April 19, 2018, at 6:00 o’clock p.m. The meeting was called to order by Dr. Raymond Riley who after prayer and the Pledge, declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.
Members present were Ms. Mary Campbell, Mr. Fred Butcher, Mrs. Cheryl Probst, Mr. Jeffery Goodman, Mr. John Bostic, Mr. Ricky Raven, and Dr. Raymond Riley.
Members absent were Mr. Warren Enterkin and Mr. Ronnie Bradford.
Project Pencil (Syrah Resources) is seeking an industrial tax exemption. Ms. Heather Malone gave the Board an overview of an industrial prospect for Concordia Parish; and, Mr. Paul Jahn, COO, answered questions. Ms. Malone stated in her overview that Syrah Technologies is a subsidiary of Syrah Resources, an Australian company. Mr. Jahn said that they will be producing raw spherical graphite. It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried to approve the ITEP Request from Industrial Prospect, Syrah Technologies.
Roll Call Vote: Yeas: Mary Campbell
Fred Butcher
Cheryl Probst
Jeffery Goodman
John Bostic
Ricky Raven
Raymond Riley
Nays: None
Absent: Warren Enterkin
Ronnie Bradford
Abstain: None
RESOLUTION NO. INSERT RESOLUTION NUMBER
A RESOLUTION OF THE CONCORDIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD APPROVING SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM AT 2001 D. A. BIGLANE ROAD, VIDALIA, LA
WHEREAS, Article 7, Section 21(F) of the Louisiana Constitution provides for the Board of Commerce and Industry (“BCI”), with the approval of the Governor, to approve contracts for the exemption of ad valorem taxes of a new manufacturing establishment or an addition to an existing manufacturing establishment, on such terms and conditions as the board, with the approval of the Governor, deems in the best interest of the state; and
WHEREAS, SYRAH, LLC has applied for an Industrial Tax Exemption (“ITE”) and seeks approval of the BCI and the Governor for a contract granting that exemption; and
WHEREAS, Governor Edwards, through Executive Order JBE 16-73, has set forth the conditions for his approval of ITE contracts, and affirmed that those conditions are in the best interest of the state of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Executive Order JBE 16-73 provides that ITE contracts should be premised upon job and payroll creation at new or expanded manufacturing plants or establishments, and that the percentage of exemption from ad valorem taxes, and length of the contract for such exemption, may vary depending upon the nature of the project and its economic development benefit in accordance with guidance received from the Secretary of Economic Development and concurred in by the appropriate parish and/or municipal council, school board, and sheriff; and
WHEREAS, Executive Order JBE 16-73 mandates that each exemption contract approved by the Governor shall include as Exhibit “A” a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement for the ITE between the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, and the applicant for the ITE contract, which provides for the creation or retention of jobs, and provides for the exercise of the option in the Louisiana Constitution for the term or percentage of the parish ad valorem tax exemption granted in the contract, and provides for the reduction or loss of the exemption based upon the applicant’s compliance with the contract.
WHEREAS, Executive Order JBE 16-73 further requires that this SCHOOL BOARD, together with the other required local governmental entities signify consent to the terms of the exemption by resolution and the sheriff of this parish shall signify consent to the terms of the exemption by letter. Executive Order JBE 16-73 further provides that the resolutions of approval and the sheriff’s approval shall be attached as Exhibit “B” to the ITE contract between the BCI and SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC; and
WHEREAS, SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development have advised that certain terms and conditions forming Exhibit “A” to the Industrial Tax Exemption Contract pending approval before the Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry have been reached and have conveyed the same to this SCHOOL BOARD, and thus this matter is now ready for a determination of approval of this SCHOOL BOARD as required by Executive Order JBE 16-73,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, upon consideration of the foregoing and the public discussion held this day, that this SCHOOL BOARD approves the terms of the Industrial Tax Exemption contract based on the inclusion of the following terms and conditions into Exhibit “A” ( the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, and SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC) to the Industrial Tax Exemption contract between the Board of Commerce and Industry and SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC with respect to its manufacturing plant located at 2001 D. A. Biglane Road, Vidalia, Concordia Parish, Louisiana:
____25_____New Direct Permanent Jobs at the Manufacturing Establishment
_$1,500,000 _Annual Payroll
_5 Years __Term of Initial Exemption Contract
_100% __Percentage of Initial Exemption Contract
_3 Years __Term of Renewal Exemption Contract
_ 80% __Percentage of Renewal Exemption Contract
__Yes ____Reduction/Loss of Exemption for non-compliance
This SCHOOL BOARD further authorizes the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, on behalf of the Board of Commerce and Industry, to include this resolution in Exhibit “B” to the Industrial Tax Exemption Contract between the Board of Commerce and Industry and SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by this SCHOOL BOARD that a copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to Board of Commerce and Industry and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development.
THE FORGOING RESOLUTION WAS READ, AND, AFTER PUBLIC DISCUSSION, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:
YEAS:
NAYS:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
AND the resolution was declared adopted on this April 19, 2018.
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INSERT NAME OF APPROPRIATE SIGNATORY HERE
It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried to approve the ITEP Request for a Business Expansion for SETA, LLC (dba Southern Designs).
Roll Call Vote: Yeas: Mary Campbell
Fred Butcher
Cheryl Probst
Jeffery Goodman
John Bostic
Ricky Raven
Raymond Riley
Nays: None
Absent: Warren Enterkin
Ronnie Bradford
Abstain: None
RESOLUTION NO. INSERT RESOLUTION NUMBER
A RESOLUTION OF THE CONCORDIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD APPROVING SETA, LLC; dba SOUTHERN DESIGNS & GIFTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM AT 4894 HIGHWAY 84 WEST, VIDALIA, LOUISIANA 71373
WHEREAS, Article 7, Section 21(F) of the Louisiana Constitution provides for the Board of Commerce and Industry (“BCI”), with the approval of the Governor, to approve contracts for the exemption of ad valorem taxes of a new manufacturing establishment or an addition to an existing manufacturing establishment, on such terms and conditions as the board, with the approval of the Governor, deems in the best interest of the state; and
WHEREAS, SETA, LLC has applied for an Industrial Tax Exemption (“ITE”) and seeks approval of the BCI and the Governor for a contract granting that exemption; and
WHEREAS, Governor Edwards, through Executive Order JBE 16-73, has set forth the conditions for his approval of ITE contracts, and affirmed that those conditions are in the best interest of the state of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Executive Order JBE 16-73 provides that ITE contracts should be premised upon job and payroll creation at new or expanded manufacturing plants or establishments, and that the percentage of exemption from ad valorem taxes, and length of the contract for such exemption, may vary depending upon the nature of the project and its economic development benefit in accordance with guidance received from the Secretary of Economic Development and concurred in by the appropriate parish and/or municipal council, school board, and sheriff; and
WHEREAS, Executive Order JBE 16-73 mandates that each exemption contract approved by the Governor shall include as Exhibit “A” a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement for the ITE between the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, and the applicant for the ITE contract, which provides for the creation or retention of jobs, and provides for the exercise of the option in the Louisiana Constitution for the term or percentage of the parish ad valorem tax exemption granted in the contract, and provides for the reduction or loss of the exemption based upon the applicant’s compliance with the contract.
WHEREAS, Executive Order JBE 16-73 further requires that this SCHOOL BOARD, together with the other required local governmental entities signify consent to the terms of the exemption by resolution and the sheriff of this parish shall signify consent to the terms of the exemption by letter. Executive Order JBE 16-73 further provides that the resolutions of approval and the sheriff’s approval shall be attached as Exhibit “B” to the ITE contract between the BCI and SETA, LLC; and
WHEREAS, SETA, LLC and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development have advised that certain terms and conditions forming Exhibit “A” to the Industrial Tax Exemption Contract pending approval before the Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry have been reached and have conveyed the same to this SCHOOL BOARD, and thus this matter is now ready for a determination of approval of this SCHOOL BOARD as required by Executive Order JBE 16-73,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, upon consideration of the foregoing and the public discussion held this day, that this SCHOOL BOARD approves the terms of the Industrial Tax Exemption contract based on the inclusion of the following terms and conditions into Exhibit “A” ( the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, and SETA, LLC) to the Industrial Tax Exemption contract between the Board of Commerce and Industry and SETA, LLC with respect to its manufacturing plant located at 4894 Highway 84 West, Vidalia, Concordia Parish, Louisiana:
____10_____New Direct Permanent Jobs at the Manufacturing Establishment
_$300,000 _Annual Payroll
_5 Years __Term of Initial Exemption Contract
_100% __Percentage of Initial Exemption Contract
_3 Years __Term of Renewal Exemption Contract
_ 80% __Percentage of Renewal Exemption Contract
__Yes ____Reduction/Loss of Exemption for non-compliance
This SCHOOL BOARD will allow SETA, LLC 2 years from the date of their contract to hire 10 new direct permanent jobs at the facility. If SETA, LLC falls below 8 new jobs this SCHOOL BOARD requests a reduction in contract by 3 years. If SETA, LLC falls below 5 new jobs this SCHOOL BOARD request termination of the contract.
This SCHOOL BOARD further authorizes the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, on behalf of the Board of Commerce and Industry, to include this resolution in Exhibit “B” to the Industrial Tax Exemption Contract between the Board of Commerce and Industry and SETA, LLC.
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by this SCHOOL BOARD that a copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to Board of Commerce and Industry and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development.
THE FORGOING RESOLUTION WAS READ, AND, AFTER PUBLIC DISCUSSION, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:
YEAS:
NAYS:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
AND the resolution was declared adopted on this April 19, 2018.
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INSERT NAME OF APPROPRIATE SIGNATORY HERE
It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mrs. Probst and carried to adjourn at 6:20 p.m.